Systems and methods for verifying reliability of sensor data received from mobile devices

Abstract

Method and system for verifying a reliability of sensor data received from a mobile device of a user are disclosed. For example, the method includes receiving first sensor data collected and/or generated by one or more sensors of the mobile device from an application installed on a mobile device of a user at a first time, receiving second sensor data collected and/or generated by the one or more sensors of the mobile device from the application at a second time, determining whether the mobile device is in a vehicle that the user is driving during a time interval based at least upon the first sensor data and the second sensor data, and in response to the mobile device not being in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval, transmitting a notification to the mobile device indicating that the application does not work properly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for verifying a reliability of sensor data received from a mobile device of a user, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a first time by a computing device, from an application installed on the mobile device of the user, first sensor data collected and/or generated by one or more sensors of the mobile device, the first sensor data including one or more types of sensor data, wherein the application, at a time of being installed onto the mobile device, is configured to send the one or more types of sensor data in response to the mobile device being in the vehicle that the user is driving; 
 receiving, at a second time by the computing device, from the application, second sensor data collected and/or generated by the one or more sensors of the mobile device, the second time following the first time by a time interval, the second sensor data including the one or more types of sensor data; 
 determining, by the computing device, whether the mobile device is in a vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval based at least upon the first sensor data and the second sensor data; and 
 in response to the mobile device not being in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval, transmitting, by the computing device, a notification to the mobile device indicating that the application does not work properly. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more types of sensor data include a first type for accelerometer data, a second type for gyroscope data, a third type for location data, and a fourth type for magnetometer data. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first sensor data includes first accelerometer data corresponding to the first time, first gyroscope data corresponding to the first time, first location data corresponding to the first time, and first magnetometer data corresponding to the first time; and 
 the second sensor data includes second accelerometer data corresponding to the second time, second gyroscope data corresponding to the second time, second location data corresponding to the second time, and second magnetometer data corresponding to the second time. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining whether the mobile device is in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval includes:
 comparing, by the computing device, the second accelerometer data with the first accelerometer data to determine a first change during the time interval; and 
 determining, by the computing device, whether the first change satisfies a first predetermined condition. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining whether the mobile device is in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval includes:
 comparing, by the computing device, the second gyroscope data with the first gyroscope data to determine a second change during the time interval; and 
 determining, by the computing device, whether the second change satisfies a second predetermined condition. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining whether the mobile device is in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval includes:
 comparing, by the computing device, the second location data with the first location data to determine a third change during the time interval; and 
 determining, by the computing device, whether the third change satisfies a third predetermined condition. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining whether the mobile device is in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval includes:
 comparing, by the computing device, the second magnetometer data with the first magnetometer data to determine a fourth change during the time interval; and 
 determining, by the computing device, whether the fourth change satisfies a fourth predetermined condition. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining whether the mobile device is in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval includes:
 in response to determining that each of the first, second, third, and fourth changes does not satisfy the first second, third, and fourth predetermined condition, respectively, determining, by the computing device, that the mobile device is not in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining whether the mobile device is in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval includes:
 in response to determining that each of the first, second, third, and fourth changes satisfies the first, second, third, and fourth predetermined condition, respectively, determining, by the computing device, that the mobile device is in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining whether the first change satisfies the first predetermined condition includes determining whether the first change is within a first predetermined range, wherein the first predetermined range corresponds to a range of accelerometer data that indicates that the mobile device is in the vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining whether the second change satisfies the second predetermined condition includes determining whether the second change is within a second predetermined range, wherein the second predetermined range corresponds to a range of gyroscope data that indicates that the mobile device is in the vehicle. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining whether the third change satisfies the third predetermined condition includes determining whether the third change is within a third predetermined range, wherein the third predetermined range corresponds to a range of the location data that indicates that the mobile device is in the vehicle. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining whether the fourth change satisfies the fourth predetermined condition includes determining whether the fourth change is within a fourth predetermined range, wherein the fourth predetermined range corresponds to a range of the magnetometer data that indicates that the mobile device is in the vehicle. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein determining whether the mobile device is in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval includes:
 in response to determining that each of the first, second, third, and fourth changes are outside of the first second, third, and fourth predetermined range, respectively, determining, by the computing device, that the mobile device is not in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein determining whether the mobile device is in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval includes:
 in response to determining that each of the first, second, third, and fourth changes are within the first, second, third, and fourth predetermined range, respectively, determining, by the computing device, that the mobile device is in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 in response to the application not working properly, updating or adjusting, by the computing device, an amount of insurance discount; and 
 transmitting, by the computing device, a second notification to the mobile device indicating that the amount of insurance discount has been updated or adjusted. 
 
     
     
       17. A computing device for verifying a reliability of sensor data received from a mobile device of a user, the computing device comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory having a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, causes the computing device to:
 receive, at a first time, from an application installed on the mobile device of the user, first sensor data collected and/or generated by one or more sensors of the mobile device, the first sensor data including one or more types of sensor data, wherein the application, at a time of being installed onto the mobile device, is configured to send the one or more types of sensor data in response to the mobile device being in the vehicle that the user is driving; 
 receive, at a second time, from the application, second sensor data collected and/or generated by the one or more sensors of the mobile device, the second time following the first time by a time interval, the second sensor data including the one or more types of sensor data; 
 determine whether the mobile device is in a vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval based at least upon the first sensor data and the second sensor data; and 
 in response to the mobile device not being in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval, transmit a notification to the mobile device indicating that the application does not work properly. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The computing device of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to:
 in response to the application not working properly, update or adjust an amount of insurance discount; and 
 transmit a second notification to the mobile device indicating that the amount of insurance discount has been updated or adjusted. 
 
     
     
       19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for verifying a reliability of sensor data received from a mobile device of a user, the instructions when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to:
 receive, at a first time, from an application installed on the mobile device of the user, first sensor data collected and/or generated by one or more sensors of the mobile device, the first sensor data including one or more types of sensor data, wherein the application, at a time of being installed onto the mobile device, is configured to send the one or more types of sensor data in response to the mobile device being in the vehicle that the user is driving; 
 receive, at a second time, from the application, second sensor data collected and/or generated by the one or more sensors of the mobile device, the second time following the first time by a time interval, the second sensor data including the one or more types of sensor data; 
 determine whether the mobile device is in a vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval based at least upon the first sensor data and the second sensor data; and 
 in response to the mobile device not being in the vehicle that the user is driving during the time interval, transmit a notification to the mobile device indicating that the application does not work properly, 
 wherein the application, at a time of being installed onto the mobile device, is configured to send the one or more types of sensor data in response to the mobile device being in the vehicle that the user is driving. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions when executed by the one or more processors further cause the computing device to:
 in response to the application not working properly, update or adjust an amount of insurance discount; and 
 transmit a second notification to the mobile device indicating that the amount of insurance discount has been updated or adjusted.